Checked baggage

To determine first and second checked baggage service charges for your itinerary, use the baggage calculator below. Please note that as required by U.S. Department of Transportation regulations, baggage service charges for your entire itinerary are determined by the marketing carrier for the first segment of your itinerary. Your originating marketing carrier is the airline whose flight number is assigned to the first segment of your itinerary. If this carrier is not United or United Express, different charges may apply.

Baggage service charges are based on the date of ticketing and on the ticketed cabin as well as the traveler's status or membership on the date of travel. Eligibility for the checked baggage service charge waiver for travelers on award tickets issued or re-issued on or after April 15, 2015, is based on each traveler’s Premier status at check-in, rather than the status of the member whose miles were used to purchase the award ticket.

For all United Economy® tickets issued or re-issued before February 1, 2015, Premier® Gold members are eligible for three complimentary checked bags at 70 pounds (32 kg) each. For United Economy tickets issued or re-issued on or after February 1, 2015, Premier Gold members are eligible for two complimentary checked bags at 70 pounds (32 kg) each for travel between the U.S., Canada, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. For travel to and from select international markets, Premier Gold members are eligible for three complimentary checked bags at 70 pounds (32 kg) each. To determine specific checked baggage service charges, please use the baggage calculator below.

Checked baggage service charges apply at any point where bags are checked. For a trip that includes one or more connections, bags will be checked to the final destination stated on the ticket, and the charge for checking a bag from your origin to your destination will apply. If you have a separate ticket on another carrier, you must claim bags at the destination of the first ticketed itinerary and check bags with the other carrier to the final destination. Baggage can be checked through to the final destination if the separate ticketed itinerary includes Star Alliance member airline-operated flights. For a trip that includes a voluntary stopover, your bags will be checked to your stopover point, where you will collect your bags. When you resume travel, subject to applicable charges, you may check your bags again from the new point of check-in to the destination.

Temporary or permanent baggage embargoes, based on size, weight or number of bags, may be in place at certain airports. See our Excess Baggage Embargo page for details.

Service charge exemptions

Some customers are exempt from certain checked baggage service charges for bags within specified size and weight limits. For specific exemption details relating to your itinerary, select the appropriate status or membership from the dropdown list in the baggage calculator above. Note that exemptions cannot be combined to provide waived charges for additional bags. In the case of multiple exemptions, the greater of the allowances will apply. These benefits apply only on United- and United Express-operated flights when baggage check-in occurs with United.

U.S. military exemptions

Active U.S. military personnel and their accompanying dependents, not traveling on official business, receive waived service charges for up to three checked bags at 70 pounds (32 kg) each.

Active U.S. military personnel and their dependents traveling in United Economy on official business receive waived service charges for up to four checked bags at 70 pounds (32 kg) each.

Active U.S. military personnel and their dependents traveling in United Global FirstSM, United BusinessFirst®, United First® or United Business® on official business receive waived service charges for up to five checked bags at 70 pounds (32 kg) each.

Dependents traveling with active U.S. military personnel are also exempt as long as they are traveling in the same reservation. This exemption will not apply to group reservations including ten or more customers.

Other baggage service charges

Excess baggage

Bags checked in addition to the traveler's baggage allowance.Checked baggage allowance may vary depending on cabin, status level, military status, itinerary and date of purchase. From $150 USD/CAD to $200 USD/CAD per bagLearn more

Inflight Wi-FiAvailable for purchase on either a per-hour or per-flight basis, depending on the flight.Per-hour pricing: From $1 to $12.50 per hourPer-flight pricing: From $3.99 to $29.95 per flightLearn more

Ticketing with a United agentWithin the 50 United States and Canada: $25 by phone, $30 at a City Ticket Office, $35 in person at the airport. Ticketing charges may vary outside of the U.S. and Canada and based on MileagePlus status level.

Replacing a lost paper ticket$150

Same-day flight changesUp to $75 per passenger, depending on Premier® statusLearn more

Other flight changes and cancellationsFrom $0 to $1,000 per passenger, based on applicable fare rules

United ClubSMOne-time pass: Up to $50 per personMembership per person: From $400 to $500 per year, plus $50 initiation for new membersMembership with spouse: From $650 to $750 per year, plus $50 initiation for new membersLearn more